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Saddam's Trial Judge Submits Resignation

By Jeralyn, Section War In Iraq
Posted on Sat Jan 14, 2006 at 11:57:10 PM EST
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The farce of the Saddam Hussein trial just got worse. The trial judge has submitted his resignation.

Many claimed he was being too lenient with Saddam in tolerating his speeches and outbursts. Apparently, the pressure got to him --either from the public or the Government, take your pick.

Saddam should not be tried in Iraq. He should be tried in an international tribunal like the Hague. Of course, since the death penalty would be off the table, that would never happen.

Human Rights Watch explains why Saddam should be tried in an international court.

Update: via Last Night in Little Rock: The judge's attempted resignation is now said to be as Presiding Judge in Saddam's trial. He is willing to remain on the tribunal. Whether the judge would remain on Saddam's trial or move to another trial is not clear. At any rate, the resignation has not been accepted and the powers that be are working to have the judge withdraw it.

The NY Times this morning offer this:

A resignation by Judge Amin would bring more disarray to an already turbulent trial process and embarrass the United States, which oversaw the tribunal's creation. ...

Some Iraqi political leaders have angrily criticized Judge Amin for not reining in the defendants, saying the former dictator's televised displays of defiance can only embolden his followers in the insurgency.

An American official who advises the tribunal has made comments suggesting that he, too, is impatient with the judge's courtroom management.

Sometimes judges let defendants have their say, just to give the appearance of fairness. Just ask Alice.

The Times comment harkens back to "Alice In Wonderland," and the United States seems like the King and Queen, with Ramsey Clark or any of the defense lawyers as the White Rabbit:

The King turned pale, and shut his note-book hastily.

“Consider your verdict,” he said to the jury, in a low trembling voice.

“There’s more evidence to come yet, please your Majesty,” said the White Rabbit, jumping up in a great hurry: “this paper has just been picked up.”

...

"Let the jury consider their verdict,” the King said, for about the twentieth time that day.

“No, no!” said the Queen. “Sentence first—verdict afterward.”

“Stuff and nonsense!” said Alice loudly. “The idea of having the sentence first!”

“Hold your tongue!” said the Queen, turning purple.

The Saddam Trial Blog is here, and it doesn't even mention this as of Sunday afternoon.

Second Update: From Aljazeera.net at 5:55 p.m. Iraq time: Other members of the court traveled to the judge's hometown to talk him out of resigning. The resignation still has not been accepted.

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    • Saddam's Trial Judge Submits Resignation | 4 comments (4 topical)
    Re: Saddam's Trial Judge Submits Resignation (none / 0) (#1)
    by Al on Sun Jan 15, 2006 at 08:32:05 AM EST
    This, to me, is the key point in HRW's analysis:
    The Bush administration calculates that a tribunal of Iraqis selected by its hand-picked Governing Council will be less likely to reveal embarrassing aspects of Washington's past support for Saddam Hussein...
    Re: Saddam's Trial Judge Submits Resignation (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Jan 15, 2006 at 09:03:47 AM EST
    All reminiscent of the deal offered to the holding out hostage taker in the movie Ragtime: give yourself up now; I promise you a fair trial and a quick, painless execution. I actually do think this is about Bush's personal obsession with the death penalty as the only means to avenge and satiate the loss of his family honor accomplished by Saddam (i.e., the ignominious loss of '92 to the despised Arkansas pretender.) Of course, anything approaching a "fair" trial is out of the question in a country where a defendant's counsel keeps routinely getting knocked off (as does a not insubstantial part of the judiciary... and the rest of the government there...) But move the circus to some neutral corner of Europe? "No on my watch" says the President of Hearts...

    Re: Saddam's Trial Judge Submits Resignation (none / 0) (#3)
    by squeaky on Mon Jan 30, 2006 at 08:55:17 PM EST
    blockquote>The US occupation forces' much-hyped effort to put Saddam Hussein and his henchmen on trial in Iraq is now in complete shambles. Chaos has ensued in the trial. If the whole Iraq debacle were not so horrifically tragic this would be pure comedy on the level of Marx brothers. Helena Cobban<

    Re: Saddam's Trial Judge Submits Resignation (none / 0) (#4)
    by squeaky on Mon Jan 30, 2006 at 08:59:17 PM EST
    The US occupation forces' much-hyped effort to put Saddam Hussein and his henchmen on trial in Iraq is now in complete shambles.
    Chaos has ensued in the trial. If the whole Iraq debacle were not so horrifically tragic this would be pure comedy on the level of Marx brothers. Helena Cobban

    Saddam's Trial Judge Submits Resignation | 4 comments (4 topical)